Interactive information services system and associated method for capturing transaction data

ABSTRACT

A method and system are provided to permit a network operator to capture transaction data relating to transactions between a subscriber and a service provider that are conducted via a communications network established by the network operator, such as a cable television network. In operation, the subscribers are provided with information relating to items offered by one or more service providers. The subscriber can transmit a purchase order. A headend of the communications network receives and analyzes the purchase order to capture transaction data. If the service provider is different than the network operator, the headend also relays a copy of the purchase order to the third party service provider such that the purchase order can be filled. Since the network operator has captured information relating to the purchase order, however, the network operator can charge the service provider and/or the subscriber for utilizing its network to facilitate the transaction.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatusfor capturing transaction data relating to transactions between asubscriber and a service provider conducted via an interactiveinformation services system and, more particularly, to methods andapparatus for permitting the network operator of a cable televisionnetwork to capture transaction data relating to transactions between asubscriber of the cable television network and a service provider, suchas an Internet-based merchant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The variety of services provided via existing telephone lines andcoaxial cable networks has been steadily increasing for some time.Recent technological advances, such as technological advances in thefields of data compression and data encryption as well as digitalsignature techniques for permitting the validation of messages, hassignificantly increased both the number of services provided viaexisting telephone lines and coaxial cable networks as well as thedemand for such services by subscribers. In this regard, subscribers arebecoming more accustomed to the provision of such services via existingtelephone lines or existing coaxial cable networks, and also arebecoming more comfortable with the security measures taken to ensure theconfidentiality of the transmitted information.

[0003] For example, cable television network operators already provideaddressed message transmissions, pay-per-view programming, impulsepay-per-view programming, favorite channel features, and parentalcontrol features. Cable television network operators can also providetext services such as news articles, sport scores, stock marketquotations and weather reports. More recently, cable television networkoperators have proposed to provide additional features such as videogame delivery, digital audio services, wide area network access, travelreservations services, home banking services, energy managementservices, video conferencing, burglary and fire alarm services, and homeshopping services. As such, interactive information services systemshave been developed that utilize existing telephone lines and coaxialcable networks to provide these additional services to the subscribers.

[0004] Interactive information services systems include one or moreservice providers, one or more subscribers who may purchase the itemsoffered by the service providers, and a network operator for providingthe communications network between the service providers and thesubscribers. For example, operators of existing cable televisionnetworks increasingly serve as the network operator by providing acommunications network over which the various services offered by theservice providers are delivered to the subscribers. With respect to someof the services, the network operator is also the service provider. Forexample, a cable television network is a network operator, but may alsobe a service provider for the provision of pay-per-view programming andthe like. In many instances, however, third party service providers,i.e., service providers other than the network operator, provide thevarious services delivered via the communications network established bythe network operator. For example, third party service providerstypically provide travel reservations services, home banking services,home shopping services and the like.

[0005] In order to offer an even broader array of services, interactiveinformation services systems have linked existing communicationsnetworks, such as existing telephone networks or existing cabletelevision networks, with the Internet. For example, Le Groupe Videotronand WebTV offer interactive information services systems that havelinked a cable television network with the Internet.

[0006] One particularly popular Internet-based service is home shopping.While home shopping has been provided by cable television networks forsome time, the variety of shopping possibilities offered by theInternet-based merchants are much more numerous and diverse. Cabletelevision network providers are often reluctant to provide theirsubscribers with the extensive home shopping services offered byInternet-based merchants since these additional services would likelydecrease viewership for cable television programming. In addition, ininstances in which the network operator does not provide the service,the network operator will not be compensated for the transactionsconducted via their network. As such, although the network operator mayprovide the communications network for numerous transactions thatinvolve significant amounts of money in the aggregate, the networkoperator will generally not receive a share or percentage of thetransactions' value.

[0007] In view of the importance of the telephone lines or the coaxialcable network provided by the network operator that serve as the conduitthrough which these additional services, such as home shopping services,are provided, at least some network operators are desirous of charging afee or a toll based upon the dollar value or the number of transactionsbetween the various service providers and the subscribers. In addition,some network operators are desirous of obtaining this informationrelating to the number of transactions and the dollar value of thetransactions in a manner that is independent of the service providers,such that the network operators need not rely upon the service providersfor this information.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] A method and an interactive information services system aretherefore provided to permit a network operator to capture transactiondata relating to transactions between a subscriber and a serviceprovider that are conducted via a communications network established bythe network operator, such as a cable television network. For example,the transaction data can relate to the number of transactions and thedollar value of the transactions. As such, the network operator cancharge a fee, a commission or a toll based upon the transaction data,including the number of transactions and/or the dollar amount of thetransactions.

[0009] According to the present invention, the subscribers are providedwith information relating to a plurality of items offered by one or moreservice providers. While the information relating to the items offeredby the service providers can be presented in different manners, theinteractive information services system of one embodiment includes asubscriber terminal for presenting a display of the items offered by theservice providers. After reviewing the items offered by the serviceproviders, the subscriber can transmit at least one copy of a purchaseorder for at least one item. While the purchase order can be transmittedin various manners, the interactive information services system of oneembodiment includes a selection device for allowing the subscriber toselect one or more items offered by the service provider.

[0010] The interactive information services system also includes aheadend operated by the network operator. The headend receives thepurchase order and analyzes a copy of the purchase order to therebycapture transaction data. If the service provider that is offering theitem selected by the subscriber is different than the network operator,the headend is adapted to relay a copy of the purchase order to thethird party service provider such that the purchase order can be filledby the service provider. Since the network operator has capturedinformation relating to the purchase order at the headend, however, thenetwork operator can charge the service provider and/or the subscriberfor utilizing their network to complete the transaction. For example,the network operator can charge a fixed fee per transaction, apercentage of the dollar value of the transaction or any other pricingmethodology that is desired and is agreed upon by the parties. As such,the interactive information services system can include means,responsive to the headend, for billing at least one of the serviceprovider and the subscriber for utilizing the communications channelbetween the network operator and the subscriber based upon thetransaction data that was previously captured.

[0011] While a copy of the purchase order is forwarded to the serviceprovider in instances in which the service provider is different fromthe network operator, the purchase order is not forwarded to a thirdparty service provider if the network operator is also the serviceprovider that is offering the items to the subscriber. Instead, theinteractive information services system can further include means,responsive to the headend, for filling the purchase order withoutrelaying the purchase order to a third party service provider. As such,the network operator can offer various items to the subscriber and canfill the purchase orders placed by subscribers without involvingadditional service providers, if so desired.

[0012] In one advantageous embodiment, the interactive informationservices system includes a cable television network that includes theheadend and the subscriber terminals. In addition, the cable televisionnetwork of this embodiment can include a communications link consistingof a forward channel and a reverse channel. The cable television networktransmits information from the headend to the subscriber terminals viathe forward channel, and transmits the purchase orders from theselection devices to the headend via the reverse channel. Theinteractive information services system of this embodiment can alsoinclude a computer network, such as a wide-area computer network and,more particularly, the Internet, operably connected to the headend. Assuch, third party service providers, such as Internet-based merchants,can be provided access to the subscribers via the cable televisionnetwork. Correspondingly, the subscribers of the cable televisionnetwork can have access to a wide variety of Internet-based merchantsand can place purchase orders with any of these Internet-based merchantsfrom the comfort of their homes.

[0013] The purchase order can be encrypted prior to being transmittedvia the reverse channel of the cable television network. Consequently,the subscribers can transmit confidential information, including creditcard information and the like, through the interactive informationservices system with confidence that the confidential information willremain private. Likewise, the digital signature of a subscriber can beapplied to the purchase order prior to being transmitted via the reversechannel to the headend of the cable television network. As such, thenetwork operator and/or the third party service providers can verify theidentity of the subscriber placing the purchase order and can therebyavoid repudiation of the order.

[0014] A single copy of the purchase order may transmitted from thesubscriber to the headend. However, the method and interactiveinformation services system of one advantageous embodiment transmitsseparate copies of the purchase order to the network operator and theservice provider. In this regard, the method and interactive informationservices system of this embodiment may generate a network operator copyof the purchase order and a service provider copy of the purchase orderthat are encrypted in different manners. For example, the interactiveinformation services system may include a processing element associatedwith the subscriber terminal and the selection device for generating thedifferent copies of the purchase order. Following transmission, theheadend decrypts and analyzes the network operator copy of the purchaseorder. However, the service provider copy of the purchase order isrelayed along to the service provider without being decrypted, therebyassuring the service provider that the network operator has not alteredthe purchase order.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an interactive informationservices system including a headend according to one embodiment to thepresent invention.

[0016]FIGS. 2A and 2B are flow charts illustrating the operationsperformed by the interactive information services system and associatedmethod of one embodiment to the present invention.

[0017]FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a purchase ordertransmitted from a subscriber terminal to the headend according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The present invention now will be described more fullyhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichpreferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may,however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construedas limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, theseembodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough andcomplete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to thoseskilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0019] Referring now to FIG. 1, an interactive information servicessystem 10 according to one embodiment to the present invention isdepicted. Typically, the interactive information services systemincludes a cable television network 12 having a headend 14 operated by anetwork operator and a plurality of subscriber terminals 16, configuredto receive cable television programming from the headend. According tothe present invention, the interactive information services system canalso include a computer network 18, such as a wide-area computer networkand, more particularly, the Internet, operably connected to the cabletelevision network and, more particularly, to the headend of the cabletelevision network such that Internet-based content can be provided tothe subscribers of the cable television network. As known to thoseskilled in the art, the Internet is a world wide network of backboneinterconnected computer networks, each including uniquely addressable,interconnected computers. However, the interactive information servicessystem of the present invention can include other wide area networks, ifso desired.

[0020] With respect to the cable television network 12, the headend 14and the plurality of subscriber terminals 16 are typically connected bymeans of a forward channel 20 through which information can betransmitted from the headend to the subscriber terminals. In addition,the headend and the plurality of subscriber terminals are also generallyconnected by means of a reverse channel 22 that permits the subscriberterminals to transmit information to the headend. While the informationcan be transmitted in a variety of formats and protocols, the subscriberterminals generally transmit information via the reverse channel out ofband relative to the forward channel. For example, the signalstransmitted via the reverse channel commonly have a frequency of 5 to 45MHz and are QPSK modulated. As such, the same communications link, suchas the same coaxial cable, can be utilized to provide both the forwardand reverse channels. Alternatively, the interactive informationservices system can include separate telephone lines or other means ofcommunications for establishing the forward and reverse channels betweenthe headend and the plurality of subscriber terminals without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0021] A conventional headend 14 is described in Modern Cable TelevisionTechnology; Voice, Video and Data Communications by W. Ciciora, J.Farmer and D. Large; Morgan Kaufmann (1998) and is well known to thoseskilled in the art. Among other components, a headend includes aprocessor 14 a, associated memory 14 b, a subscriber transceiver 14 cfor communicating with the plurality of subscriber terminals 16 and anInternet transceiver 14 d for communicating via the Internet or othercomputer network with third party service providers. The processor canbe configured in many different manners as known to those skilled in theart, but is typically comprised of a combination of hardware, such asone or more controllers or processors, and software.

[0022] In addition, the subscriber terminal 16 typically includes a settop terminal and an associated display, such as a television, a computerdisplay or the like. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,474 to AnthonyJ. Wasilewski et. al which issued Feb. 9, 1999 and which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety, a set top terminal typically refersto any subscriber device capable of receiving and decoding digitalservices, such as personal computers, home control terminals, decodersand the like. By way of example, Scientific Atlanta, Inc. offers a lineof advanced set top terminals designated the Explorer HomeCommunications Terminals including models E2100 and E3100, for example.Among other components, a typical set top terminal generally includesone or more tuners, a processing element, such as a microprocessor orthe like, and associated memory. In addition, the processing element ofthe latest generation of set top terminals includes HTML engines forinterfacing with the Internet. The interactive information servicessystem 10 of the present invention also preferably includes a selectiondevice 24 associated with a respective subscriber terminal for providingsubscriber input to the headend via the reverse channel 22, as describedin more detail below. For example, the selection device can be ahandheld remote control, a keyboard, a cellular telephone, a cable modemor the like associated with the subscriber terminal and adapted tocommunicate via the reverse channel with the headend 14.

[0023] As depicted in the flow charts of FIGS. 2A and 2B whichillustrate the operations performed by the interactive informationservices system 10 and associated method of the present invention, asubscriber is initially provided with information relating to aplurality of items offered by a service provider. See block 30. In theembodiment in which the interactive information services system includesa cable television network 12, the information relating to the itemsoffered by a service provider is transmitted to the subscriber via theforward channel 20 and is received by the set top unit. In the case ofvideo information, the set top terminal drives an associated display toprovide images of the items offered by the service provider to thesubscriber. See block 32.

[0024] The network operator, such as the operator of the cabletelevision network 12, may be the service provider. In this instance,the network operator will essentially be offering various items to theirsubscribers for purchase, rent or the like. More commonly, theinteractive information services system 10 provides a mechanism forthird party service providers, i.e., service providers other than thenetwork operator, to offer various items to the subscribers of the cabletelevision network. For example, the third party service providers maybe Internet-based merchants who offer a variety of goods and/or servicesfor purchase, rent or the like via the Internet or other computernetworks. According to the present invention, however, the computernetwork, such as the Internet, is communicably connected to the cabletelevision network, typically at the headend 14 of the cable televisionnetwork, such that the Internet-based merchants can also provide thesubscribers of the cable television network with information relating tovarious items offered for sale, lease or the like. In the embodiment inwhich the interactive information services system comprises a cabletelevision network that is adapted to communicate with a computernetwork, such as the Internet, the cable television network and theInternet can be adapted to communicate in a variety of manners. Oneexample is described in Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specifications(DOCSIS) Radio Frequency Interface Specification, SP-RFIv1.1-I04-000407(Apr. 7, 2000).

[0025] In the typical embodiment, each service provider transmitsinformation, such as video or graphics information, to the subscriber togenerate an image illustrating the various items offered by therespective service provider. This information generally includes notonly an image or a description of the item, but also the price of theitem, the name or other alphanumeric designation of the item and anyavailable options with respect to the item. As such, a virtual shoppingmall is created at the subscriber terminal 16 which permits thesubscriber to review the items offered by the various service providers.The subscriber terminal and, in particular, the set top terminal can beconfigured to display the images in various manners. For example, theset top terminal can break the display into frames, each of which isassociated with a respective service provider. Alternatively, the settop terminal can place a banner or a ticker across the display such thatinformation relating to the various items offered by the serviceproviders can scroll across the display.

[0026] In order to select an item offered for sale, lease or the like bya service provider, the subscriber will generally initially review theitems offered by the various service providers. See block 34. Varioustechniques can be employed for accessing the information provided by thevarious service providers. For example, a menu of the service providerscan be displayed from which the subscriber can select those of interest.Alternatively, the subscriber can enter the name or URL address of aparticular service provider in order to access the desired information.

[0027] Once the subscriber has identified one or more items that theywould like to order, the subscriber indicates their selection by meansof the selection device 24. In embodiments in which the selection deviceis a keyboard, the subscriber can enter the numerical designation of aparticular item along with the quantity, any desired options, thedelivery address and the method of payment including credit cardinformation or cash on delivery (COD), for example, in order to create apurchase order for the selected item. See block 36. Alternatively, thesubscriber can utilize a mouse or other types of selection deviceswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.Irrespective of the manner in which the items are selected, one exampleof a purchase order and the information contained therein is depicted inFIG. 3. As shown, the purchase order generally includes informationinput by the subscriber as described above, as well as additionalinformation appended by the subscriber terminal, such as the set topterminal, to the purchase order, such as the subscriber identificationand the service provider identification. The subscriber then transmitsthe purchase order to the headend 14 in order to place the order. Seeblock 42. As described above, the set top terminal typically transmitsthe purchase order to the headend via the reverse channel 22, but thepurchase order may be transmitted to the headend via othercommunications paths, such as telephone lines or the like, if sodesired.

[0028] The set top terminal may transmit the purchase order without anyencryption. However, the purchase order is typically encrypted prior totransmission to the headend 14 in order to protect the confidentialityof the information, including credit card information associated withthe subscriber. See block 38. Although the purchase order can beencrypted in a variety of manners, the set top terminal generallyencrypts the purchase order by a public key encryption technique, suchas described by U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,474 to Anthony J. Wasilewski et. al,the contents of which have incorporated herein by reference. Thus, theinteractive information services system 10 and, more typically, the settop terminal of the subscriber terminal 16 preferably includes means,such as the processing element, for encrypting the purchase order asdescribed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,474.

[0029] In one advantageous embodiment, the set top terminal generatestwo copies of the purchase order, namely, a network operator copy of thepurchase order and a service provider copy of the purchase order. Eachof these copies may be identical. Alternatively, in embodiments in whichthe service provider is a different entity than the network operator,the network operator copy of the purchase order may include only asubset of the information embodied by the service provider copy of thepurchase order. In this regard, the network operator copy of thepurchase order need only include those items of interest to the networkoperator as described in more detail below. Regardless of the content ofeach copy of the purchase order, the set top terminal of this embodimentpreferably encodes each copy of the purchase order in a differentmanner. For example, the set top terminal may encode the networkoperator copy of the purchase order with the public key of the headendand the service provider copy of the purchase order with the public keyof the service provider. As such, only the headend will be able toaccess the network operator copy of the purchase order, while only theservice provider will be able to access the service provider copy of thepurchase order.

[0030] If the purchase order contains a substantial amount of data, thepurchase order may not be readily encrypted with a public key. As such,the set top terminal and, in particular, the processing element of theset top terminal may generate a symmetric key and may thereafter performa bulk encryption of the purchase order with the symmetric key. Theproduct of the bulk encryption may then be encrypted as described abovewith the public keys of the network operator and the service provider toprovide two copies of the purchase order for transmission to the networkoperator and the service provider, respectively.

[0031] Regardless of whether the purchase order is encrypted, theinteractive information services system and, more typically, the set topterminal of the subscriber terminal preferably further includes means,such as the processing element, for applying a digital signature to thepurchase order to facilitate validation of the order upon receipt at theheadend 14. See block 40. Although the digital signature of thesubscriber can be applied to the purchase order in a variety of manners,U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,474 to Anthony J. Wasilewski et. al also describesone advantageous technique for applying a digital signature to datatransmitted via the reverse channel of a cable television network 18.

[0032] Upon receipt by the subscriber transceiver 14 c, the headend 14and, more particularly, the processor 14 a analyzes a copy of thepurchase order to capture transaction data included within the purchaseorder. See blocks 44 and 50. With respect to a purchase order that hasbeen encrypted and to which a digital signature has been applied, theheadend and, more particularly, the processor of the headend initiallydecrypts the network operator copy of the purchase order. See block 46.For a network operator copy of the purchase order that has beenencrypted with the public key of the headend, for example, the headendcan decrypt the purchase order with its private key. If the purchaseorder has also been encrypted with a symmetric key, the headend wouldalso decrypt the product of the bulk encryption with an appropriate key.In addition, the headend and, more particularly, the headend processorcan analyze the digital signature applied to the purchase order toverify or validate that the purchase order originated with therespective subscriber. See block 48. Although the various techniques canbe utilized to analyze the digital signature of the subscriber, oneadvantageous technique utilizing a one-way hash function and a publickey encryption technique is described by U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,474 toAnthony J. Wasilewski et. al. After verifying that the digital signaturecorresponds to the respective subscriber, the headend typicallycontinues to analyze the purchase order since the risk that the purchaseorder will later be repudiated by the subscriber is significantlyreduced.

[0033] In analyzing the purchase order, the headend 14 initiallydetermines if the service provider is the network operator itself or athird party service provider. See block 52. In this regard, the purchaseorder generally includes a field that identifies the respective serviceprovider. See FIG. 3. If the network operator is the service provider,the headend routes the purchase order to an affiliated distributioncenter 28 as well as an affiliated accounting center 29. Thedistribution center includes means for filling the purchase order, whilethe accounting center includes means for billing the subscriber orotherwise arranging for the network operator to be paid for the itemsordered by the subscriber. See blocks 54 and 56. In this regard, thesubscriber is generally required to provide credit card information withthe purchase order such that the cost of the items ordered by thesubscriber can be charged to the subscriber's credit card account.Alternatively, in instances in which the interactive informationservices system 10 includes a cable television network 18, thesubscribers already have an account with the network operator of thecable television network. As such, the cost of the items ordered by thesubscriber may merely be charged to the subscriber's account which istypically billed to a subscriber on a monthly or quarterly basis.However, it should be understood that the interactive informationservices system can employ other techniques to arrange payment of thenetwork operator for the items ordered by the subscriber if so desired.

[0034] In many instances, however, the purchase order will not indicatethat the network operator is the service provider, but will, instead,indicate that the items are being ordered from a third party serviceprovider, such as an Internet-based merchant. In these instances, theheadend 14 still extracts transaction data from the network operatorcopy of the purchase order. See block 50. While a variety of transactiondata can be extracted from the network operator copy of the purchaseorder, the headend typically extracts transaction data which identifiesthe third party service provider, the dollar value of the order placedby the subscriber as well as any other information that the networkoperator would like to monitor.

[0035] The service provider copy of the purchase order is then relayedto the service provider via the Internet. See block 62. In theembodiment in which the set top terminal provides a network operatorcopy of the purchase order and a service provider copy of the purchaseorder that are differently encoded, the headend will merely allow theservice provider copy of the purchase order to pass through to theservice provider. Since the service provider copy of the purchase orderhas been encrypted by the set top terminal, the service provider can beassured that the network operator has not altered the purchase order.Moreover, if the set top terminal applied a digital signature to theservice provider copy of the purchase order, the service provider canalso verify the identity of the subscriber. However, in thoseembodiments in which the set top terminal only provides a single signedcopy of the purchase order, the headend may encrypt the purchase order,such as with the public key of the service provider prior to placing thepurchase order on the Internet for delivery to the third party serviceprovider.

[0036] Upon receipt, the third party service provider analyzes theservice provider copy of the purchase order in much the same fashiondescribed above in conjunction with the analysis performed at theheadend 14. In this regard, the third party service provider decryptsthe service provider copy of the purchase order and analyzes the digitalsignature to verify the identity of the subscriber who placed thepurchase order. Thereafter, the third party service provider fills thepurchase order by shipping the items ordered to the subscriber, while atthe same time arranging for payment from the subscriber, such as bymeans of charging the purchase to the credit card account identified bythe subscriber in the purchase order or by any other payment techniqueacceptable to the third party service provider.

[0037] By extracting transaction data identifying at least the identityof the third party service provider and the dollar amount of the itemsordered by the subscriber, the network operator can bill the third partyservice provider and/or the subscriber a toll, a commission or othercharge for utilizing its communications network, such as the cabletelevision network 18, as the communications path over which the itemswere offered and the purchase order was placed. See block 64. A varietyof techniques can be utilized to bill the third party service providersand/or the subscribers for use of the communications network, such as apercentage of the dollar value of the purchase order placed by thesubscriber, a flat fee per purchase order placed by the subscriber orany other methodology agreed upon by the network operator, the thirdparty service provider and/or the subscribers.

[0038] Accordingly, even though the subscriber may not place purchaseorders which select items offered by the network operator, the networkoperator can still receive compensation for providing the communicationsnetwork over which third party service providers advertise various goodsand services and over which subscribers place purchase orders forvarious ones of the goods and services. Since network operators willreceive compensation for the use of their communications networks,network operators may be more willing to allow third party serviceproviders to provide services, including home shopping services, viatheir communications network, since any decrease in viewership of thecable television programming attributable to the offering of homeshopping services should be more than recouped by the additional revenuegenerated by tolls or other charges levied upon sales made via thecommunications network established by the network operator.

[0039] Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention willcome to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertainshaving the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoingdescriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not to be limited to the specificembodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a genericand descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

That which is claimed:
 1. A method for capturing transaction datarelating to transactions between a subscriber and a service providerconducted via an interactive information services system, the methodcomprising: providing the subscriber with information relating to aplurality of items offered by the service provider; transmitting atleast one copy of a purchase order for at least one item from thesubscriber to a headend of a network operator of the interactiveinformation services system; analyzing a copy of the purchase order atthe headend to thereby capture transaction data included therein; andrelaying a copy of the purchase order to the service provider if aservice provider other than the network operator is offering the atleast one item selected by the subscriber.
 2. A method according toclaim 1 wherein the service provider that is offering the at least oneitem selected by the subscriber is a different entity than the networkoperator, and wherein the method further comprises billing at least oneof the service provider and the subscriber for utilizing acommunications channel between the network operator and the subscriberbased upon the transaction data captured during said analyzing step. 3.A method according to claim 1 wherein the network operator is theservice provider that is offering the at least one item selected by thesubscriber, and wherein the method further comprises filling thepurchase order without relaying the purchase order to a third partyservice provider.
 4. A method according to claim 1 wherein theinteractive information services system comprises a cable televisionnetwork including the headend and an Internet, wherein said providingand transmitting steps comprise transmitting information via the cabletelevision network, and wherein said relaying step comprisestransmitting information via the Internet.
 5. A method according toclaim 4 wherein said step of transmitting at least one copy of thepurchase order comprises transmitting at least one copy of the purchaseorder to the headend via a reverse channel of the cable televisionnetwork.
 6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising encryptingeach copy of the purchase order prior to said transmitting step.
 7. Amethod according to claim 6 further comprising generating a networkoperator copy of the purchase order and a service provider copy of thepurchase order, wherein encrypting each copy of the purchase ordercomprises differently encrypting the network operator copy of thepurchase order and the service provider copy of the purchase order,wherein analyzing a copy of the purchase order comprises analyzing thenetwork operator copy of the purchase order, and wherein relaying a copyof the purchase order comprises relaying the service provider copy ofthe purchase order.
 8. A method according to claim 7 wherein analyzing acopy of the purchase order comprises decrypting the network operatorcopy of the purchase order without decrypting the service provider copyof the purchase order.
 9. A method according to claim 1 whereintransmitting at least one copy of the purchase order comprisestransmitting a single copy of the purchase order to the headend.
 10. Amethod according to claim 1 further comprising applying a digitalsignature of the subscriber to each copy of the purchase order prior tosaid transmitting step.
 11. An interactive information services systemcomprising: a subscriber terminal for providing a subscriber withinformation relating to a plurality of items offered by a serviceprovider; a selection device for transmitting at least one copy of apurchase order for at least one item selected by the subscriber; and aheadend for receiving the purchase order and for analyzing a copy of thepurchase order to thereby capture transaction data included therein,said headend also being adapted to relay a copy of the purchase order tothe service provider if a service provider other than the networkoperator is offering the at least one item selected by the subscriber.12. An interactive information services system according to claim 11wherein the service provider that is offering the at least one itemselected by the subscriber is a different entity than the networkoperator, and wherein the interactive information services systemfurther comprises means, responsive to said headend, for billing atleast one of the service provider and the subscriber for utilizing acommunications channel between said headend and said subscriber terminalbased upon the transaction data.
 13. An interactive information servicessystem according to claim 11 wherein the network operator is the serviceprovider that is offering the at least one item selected by thesubscriber, and wherein the interactive information services systemfurther comprises means, responsive to said headend, for filling thepurchase order without relaying the purchase order to a third partyservice provider.
 14. An interactive information services systemaccording to claim 11 further comprising a processing element associatedwith said subscriber terminal and said selection device for encryptingeach copy of the purchase order prior to transmitting each copy of thepurchase order to the headend.
 15. An interactive information servicessystem according to claim 14 wherein said processing element generates anetwork operator copy of the purchase order and a service provider copyof the purchase order, wherein said processing element differentlyencrypts the network operator copy of the purchase order and the serviceprovider copy of the purchase order, and wherein said headend analyzesthe network operator copy of the purchase order and relays the serviceprovider copy of the purchase order.
 16. An interactive informationservices system according to claim 15 wherein said means for analyzing acopy of the purchase order decrypts the network operator copy of thepurchase order without decrypting the service provider copy of thepurchase order.
 17. An interactive information services system accordingto claim 1 further comprising a processing element associated with saidsubscriber terminal and said selection device for applying a digitalsignature of the subscriber to each copy of the purchase order prior totransmission to the headend.
 18. An interactive information servicessystem according to claim 11 further comprising: a cable televisionnetwork that includes said headend and said subscriber terminal; and anInternet operably connected to said headend for providing serviceproviders access to the subscribers via said cable television network.19. An interactive information services system according to claim 18wherein said cable television network comprises: a forward channel fortransmitting information from said headend to said subscriber terminal;and a reverse channel for transmitting the purchase order from saidselection device to said headend.
 20. A method for capturing transactiondata relating to transactions between a subscriber and a serviceprovider conducted via an interactive information services system, themethod comprising: receiving at least one copy of a purchase order at aheadend of a network operator of the interactive information servicessystem, wherein the purchase order identifies at least one item offeredby the service provider and selected by the purchaser; analyzing a copyof the purchase order at the headend to thereby capture transaction dataincluded therein; and relaying a copy of the purchase order to theservice provider if a service provider other than the network operatoris offering the at least one item selected by the subscriber.
 21. Amethod according to claim 20 wherein the service provider that isoffering the at least one item selected by the subscriber is a differententity than the network operator, and wherein the method furthercomprises billing at least one of the service provider and thesubscriber for utilizing a communications channel between the networkoperator and the subscriber based upon the transaction data capturedduring said analyzing step.
 22. A method according to claim 20 whereinthe network operator is the service provider that is offering the atleast one item selected by the subscriber, and wherein the methodfurther comprises filling the purchase order without relaying thepurchase order to a third party service provider.
 23. A method accordingto claim 20 wherein the interactive information services systemcomprises a cable television network including the headend and anInternet, wherein said receiving step comprises receiving informationvia the cable television network, and wherein said relaying stepcomprises transmitting information via the Internet.
 24. A methodaccording to claim 23 wherein said step of receiving informationcomprises receiving information that has been encrypted.
 25. A methodaccording to claim 24 wherein receiving information that has beenencrypted comprises receiving a network operator copy of the purchaseorder and a service provider copy of the purchase order that aredifferently encrypted, wherein analyzing a copy of the purchase ordercomprises analyzing the network operator copy of the purchase order, andwherein relaying a copy of the purchase order comprises relaying theservice provider copy of the purchase order.
 26. A method according toclaim 25 wherein analyzing a copy of the purchase order comprisesdecrypting the network operator copy of the purchase order withoutdecrypting the service provider copy of the purchase order.
 27. A methodaccording to claim 20 wherein receiving at least one copy of thepurchase order comprises receiving a single copy of the purchase orderat the headend.
 28. A method according to claim 20 wherein said step ofreceiving information comprises receiving information that includes adigital signature of the subscriber placing the purchaser order, andwherein said analyzing step comprises analyzing the digital signature toconfirm that the information originated with the subscriber.
 29. Aheadend of a network operator of an interactive information servicessystem comprising: means for receiving at least one copy of a purchaseorder that identifies at least one item offered by a service providerand selected by the purchaser; means, responsive to said receivingmeans, for analyzing a copy of the purchase order to thereby capturetransaction data included therein; and means, responsive to saidanalyzing means, for relaying a copy of the purchase order to theservice provider if a service provider other than the network operatoris offering the at least one item selected by the subscriber.
 30. Aheadend according to claim 29 wherein the service provider that isoffering the at least one item selected by the subscriber is a differententity than the network operator, and wherein the headend furthercomprises means, responsive to said analyzing means, for billing atleast one of the service provider and the subscriber for utilizing acommunications channel between the headend and the subscriber based uponthe transaction data.
 31. A headend according to claim 29 wherein thenetwork operator is the service provider that is offering the at leastone item selected by the subscriber, and wherein the headend furthercomprises means, responsive to said analyzing means, for filling thepurchase order without relaying the purchase order to a third partyservice provider.
 32. A headend according to claim 29 wherein said meansfor receiving at least one copy of the purchase order receives a networkoperator copy of the purchase order and a service provider copy of thepurchase order that are differently encrypted, wherein said means foranalyzing a copy of the purchase order analyzes the network operatorcopy of the purchase order, and wherein said means for relaying a copyof the purchase order relays the service provider copy of the purchaseorder.
 33. A headend according to claim 32 wherein said means foranalyzing a copy of the purchase order decrypts the network operatorcopy of the purchase order without decrypting the service provider copyof the purchase order.
 34. A headend according to claim 29 wherein saidmeans for receiving at least one copy of the purchase order receives asingle copy of the purchase order.
 35. A headend according to claim 29wherein said means for receiving information receives information thatincludes a digital signature of the subscriber placing the purchaserorder, and wherein said means for analyzing a copy of the purchase orderanalyzes the digital signature to confirm that the informationoriginated with the subscriber.
 36. A headend according to claim 29wherein the headend comprises a portion of a cable television network,and wherein said relaying means comprises means for relaying at least aportion of the purchase order to the service provider via the Internet.